


Wake Up 2

by AllTimePhan73



Series: Wake Up [2]
Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Manipulation, Nightmares, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-13 06:39:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14743847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTimePhan73/pseuds/AllTimePhan73
Summary: Dark is back and he has a partner.Jack seems okay on the outside but he is secretly breaking down. He can't tell his friends. They can't know.So he continues to have nightmares. Nightmares that wreck his sleep schedule. Nightmares that cause him physical harm. Nightmares that could very literally be the death of him.TW: MILD PANIC ATTACKS, MILD DEPRESSION AND A LOOOOOOT OF VIOLENCE (what do you expect? This story involves Anti, Dark and Blank :P), KIND OF A MANIPULATIVE RELATIONSHIP AND KIND OF SELF HARM BUT NOT REALLY.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the trigger warnings in the description so that you don't get triggered. Stay safe everyone! <3

"I missed you so much!" Mark yelled, wrapping his arms tightly around his best friend.

The Irishman responded with a loud, "I missed you too!" hugging the other back equally as tight. Ethan watched with an amused expression on his face: although it was quite a precious interaction, he was unable to understand how they hadn't suffocated each other yet. Jack eventually did back up a little and hug Ethan but with a lot less passion.

"How are you doing?" Ethan asked with a small smile.

Jack just shrugged, picking up his suitcase and saying, "Fine." Something flashed in his eyes though, something that would have told those he was with that he was screaming for help if they had noticed. They didn't.

"That's good, I suppose. Let's go home. I'm sure you're exhausted."

"I am. If I was back in England, I would have just gone to bed." To prove his point, he let out a long yawn.

-

Mark seemed to be buzzing with excitement due to the fact that his friend was visiting. Ethan was aware that the pair were close but he had no idea just how much Mark loved Jack. They were inseparable whilst they were in the same country. Ethan was a slight third-wheel but he didn't mind, as long as Mark was happy.

"Jack, aren't you hot?" Ethan questioned as they walked down the street. They were heading to the nearby park with the intention of having a nice picnic in the LA sun. Both Ethan and Mark were in short sleeved t-shirts and shorts to their knees but Jack was in his usual skinny jeans and hoodie. How he wasn't overheating, neither of the others knew.

"I'm good." Jack grinned but Ethan couldn't help noticing a bead of sweat on his forehead. He was obviously hot so why was he insisting on wearing clothes more suited for a winter month?

"How? I'm boiling." Mark chipped in, taking a sip of his ice-cold water. He let out a short gasp as he put the lid back on the bottle, just to exaggerate how nice the cold liquid was on such a scorching day.

Jack just chuckled to avoid the question.

From that day onwards, Ethan couldn't help but notice Jack was _always_ wearing a hoodie, wherever they were, however hot it was. But... why?

-

_"Ethan, watch out for Jack. Keep an eye on him." Blank muttered, concern written in both his expression and his tone._

_"Why?" Ethan asked. He frowned, scanning Blank's body for any hints of what the man was talking about but he kept his posture stiff as usual and his eyes were still black and empty._

_"I don't think he's safe."_

_"Why? He seemed fine yesterday?"_

_"He looked tired, didn't he? Those bags under his eyes..."_

_"Jet lag?"_

_Blank let out a sigh and shook his head. He shoved his pale hands into the pockets of his jeans, beginning to pace up and down the black room._

_"What? What's wrong with him then?"_

_"How can you not notice? He's going through the same thing you were but you can help him. He doesn't have to almost die to be saved."_

_"What are you talking about, Blank?"_

_"You're so stupid honestly." Ethan raised an eyebrow, asking him to elaborate. "Idiot," Blank muttered under his breath. "It's Dark."_

_"What?" Ethan yelled, taken aback. He hadn't expected to even hear that name again as both him and Mark had made a pact to forget (or at least ignore) his existence._

_"You heard me. He could be in danger."_

_"How come you're telling me this now? He's been here for a few days already!"_

_"I only just noticed? Anti looks different... his eyes are different and his hair is green. They don't really look too much alike."_

_"Anti..?" Ethan recognised the name but he just couldn't place where he had heard it before._

_"Are you that stupid? Anti's his demon."_

_"Fuck. I need to help him."_

_"You do."_

-

"Jack, we need to talk." Ethan started, closing his bedroom door behind him. He didn't want Mark to hear the conversation because he knew he'd get too anxious and potentially lose it in front of Jack. Jack sent him a puzzled frown, sitting down on the bed of the guest room. Ethan sat beside him, going silent as he tried to muster up a way to say what he wanted to say. As each moment passed, Jack grew more and more worried. Ethan looked like he was on the verge of tears but he was biting his lip hard enough to stop them from coming.

"Is everything okay?" Jack asked once he realised Ethan was struggling to speak. He was subconsciously tugging at his long sleeves and it didn't take long for Ethan to notice. He knew what that meant. The sleeves were hiding something.

"I know about Anti." Ethan's voice was very low and quiet as he tried his best not to alarm his friend. It was apparent he was alarmed though because he stood up and backed up a little with wide eyes.

"Who?"

"Don't act like you don't know. Could you please... take off your sweater?" **(Me being British, I wanted to say 'jumper' but Ethan is American so gotta keep him in character, right guys?)** Jack was nervous. His face had paled and his shoulders were hunched like he was about to cry. "Jack, please. I want to help."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I wear jumpers because I'm cold all the time."

"I know that isn't the truth."

"How do you know that? Do you not trust me?"

"I used to do the same thing."

"What?" Jack had backed up even more, enough that he could escape at any moment. He was standing right next to the closed door, ready to run.

"It's a long story. I-" Ethan was cut off by another voice.

"Perhaps I could help you explain." Blank was beside Ethan in his usual black attire, hands buried in the pockets of his skinny jeans. He was frowning and his eyes sparkled with anxiety. "I'm Blank and-"

"Get away from me." Jack pressed his back into the wall to get as much of a distance between him and the demon. Blank stepped forward but the other's response was to scrunch his eyes shut as if he was about to get hit. "Please... don't come near me."

"He won't hurt you, I can promise you that."

Jack's eyes opened as Mark called his name from downstairs. He then shot out of the room, relieved Mark had saved him.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Don't trust him," Anti said, slowly circling Jack. He was holding a knife in his hand and was waving it a bit too close to Jack's body for comfort. "Blank will lure you in like he's kind and then he'll kill you. Ethan knows that too. Ethan never went through anything like you have. He works with Blank to hurt his victims." Anti used the tip of his knife to lift up Jack's head, cutting his chin a little. Jack winced but Anti just grinned at the sight of blood._

_"I can't trust Ethan..?" Jack questioned, his breath hitching as Anti softly glided the knife over Jack's already scarred wrist._

_"That's right. He wants you dead and we can't have that, can we? You belong on this planet."_

_"Why do you torture me like this if you don't want me to-" Jack was cut off by his own scream as Anti sliced into his arm. Blood profusely dripped out of the wound, covering Jack's arm in red._

_"We make you strong, Jack-a-boy. Without us, you'd be weak and vulnerable."_

_"But it hurts." Jack was aware of how pathetic he sounded when his voice cracked and raised an octave but all he could focus on was the intense pain._

_"Sure it does... but you need to hurt in order to come out the other end stronger, right?"_

-

From then on, Jack seemed to go out of his way to avoid Ethan. If he was ever left alone with the other, he'd make up some excuse about him needing a drink, go to the toilet or something along those lines just to escape. Ethan wasn't sure how to approach the situation. He was debating whether he should tell Mark and ask for his advice but he wasn't sure what counted as a breach of his privacy. When he had been in that situation, he hadn't wanted anyone to know.

Maybe he was just going to have to force Jack to talk to him.

That sounded like a good idea at the time.

-

"Jack, can we talk for a moment?" Ethan asked, deciding to give Jack two options: the easy way or the hard way. Jack was apparently very stubborn. He shook his head very slowly, muttering something about needing a drink. Ethan rolled his eyes at his usual excuse, grabbing his arm but only gently so he didn't cause any pain. Jack sighed, following him into Ethan's empty bedroom.

Jack seemed... almost threatened? As soon as Ethan had shut the door, Jack had backed up to the furthest point of the room from the other. His eyes sparkled with terror, as if he was expecting Ethan to lunge for him and attack at any moment.

"You need help. I know how to handle the demons- or at least I have one on my side who-"

"I don't want help. I'm fine. You don't understand what's happening. Anti isn't like Blank." Jack muttered, keeping himself composed. He was petrified of making Ethan angry. The man may have been small but what was he capable of?

"No," Ethan stepped forward slowly and reached out to grab Jack's wrist. He noticed it was skinnier than he remembered. That wasn't good. He knew for sure the guy hadn't been working out: he had kept telling everyone that he planned on going back to the gym but he never had time to go. "I understand. Blank used to haunt my dreams. I'd stay up endless nights, dosed up on coffee and I'd wake up, covered in bruises and- and-" Ethan's breath hitched as tears filled his eyes. The memories were flooding back to him after he had tried so hard to repress it all. "Cuts. I know what you're hiding under all those long sleeves." Jack visibly stiffened but he let Ethan slowly roll up the sleeves to reveal the deep red lines. Some were fresh. As in, they looked like they had just been done that previous night.

"You don't-"

"I do understand, trust me."

"Anti." Jack mumbled, so quietly that Ethan couldn't hear. Then a figure appeared in the room and smiled creepily, his body twitching. One eye was black and devoid of all emotion, the other a bright green. He was wearing all black, similar to Blank. In fact, he was wearing the same black shirt and skinny jeans. He had a knife in his pocket, the blade sticking out and looking as threatening as ever. As Blank had described, his hair was a vibrant green colour and he had a deep gash on his throat.

"You called?" Anti said. His voice varied in pitch, as if it was glitching in the way his body was. "Is he stirring trouble again?"

Jack didn't open his mouth, just nodding slowly. His fringe hung over his eyes, making him look slightly guilty for what he knew Anti was about to do. Anti smirked as he pushed Ethan up against the wall, putting his hands around his neck. Panic flooded Ethan's eyes and he squirmed under the demon's grip. In that moment, he relived every single touch from Blank and Dark. He was crying without even realising he was crying and he was flailing around violently.

"Leave Jack alone. We're okay. He likes me, don't you Jack-a-boy?" Jack nodded but Ethan was in too much of a state of panic to notice. "See. I help him become stronger and he enjoys it. Just because you're too weak to withstand Blank. That pathetic demon doesn't deserve to live. You better not bother Jack again or you'll have to deal with me, okay?"

"O-Okay." Ethan choked out. Satisfied, Anti unwrapped his hands from the younger's neck, allowing him to collapse to the floor. He felt extremely lightheaded and he was breathing heavily.

Anti then disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"I didn't want to get him on you," Jack's voice was so quiet that Ethan wasn't sure he heard him right. "I'm so sorry."

"You alright in here? I thought for a second my two friends were together and had run into the sunset on horses to get married in secret and then they were going to change their names and then have a child and-" Mark burst in the room and immediately rambled.

"What the fuck, Mark?" Jack barked out a laugh. It was like some switch inside him had been flipped and he was back to his jolly self again, as if nothing had happened.

"Why are you on the floor, Ethan?"

Ethan let out a nervous chuckle, "You know how clumsy I am."


	3. Chapter 3

_I can't help him! Did you hear what he said? ...I'd have to 'deal with him'. What on earth does that even mean? And did you see his knife? It was like twice the size of yours-"_

_"Hey, hey, hey. It's alright for you to be frightened but don't insult my knife. It's the best one out there. Just because it's small doesn't mean it's not feisty. Hey, kind of like you-" Blank chuckled, making Ethan groan and fold his arms._

_"Blank! This is serious! My life could be being threatened and I don't know if I can go through this again..." He started to pace, biting his lip so hard that it started to bleed slightly. Blank simply watched the panicked human, his eyes tracking him as he walked up and down the room over and over again without getting tired._

_"Anti won't do anything. If he does, he has me to deal with."_

_"But he has Dark too. Blank, I don't know what to do." Ethan's voice cracked as his anger vanished and was replaced with a concoction of fear and sadness. The trepidation made his knees wobble and lead to him repeatedly brushing his hand through his hair. A nervous habit._

_"Ethan, please don't cry on me. You know human emotions are confusing to me-" Ethan burst into tears, unable to hold them back anymore. Blank frowned, awkwardly pulling the other into a hug and patting his back. He was so stiff as comforting- or human emotions period- wasn't something you often came across in the demon world._

_"I'm sorry. I don't want to lose my friend."_

_"You won't. I'll figure something out. Should I try to get in contact with Dark or Anti? Go into Jack's dreams?"_

_"You'll just end up hurt. We'll figure something out... I hope."_

-

"Ethan," Mark whispered, keeping his voice low. He was sitting right next to Ethan, their thighs touching, whilst Jack sat on a completely different chair. "What happened between you and Jack? You're avoiding each other like you're carrying a deadly disease or something."

"Nothing. It just feels awkward." Ethan muttered, sighing and he leant his head on Mark's shoulder. It was simply a friendly gesture but he could feel Jack's glare on him.

"Why? I thought you two were great friends..."

"I don't know."

"It's sad that my two best friends can't get along."

"I'm sorry." Ethan shut his eyes, focusing on his low breathing. He hadn't been watching the movie that was on anyway so he found it easy to zone out and drift into the dream world.

-

_"Ethan, I know you said not to but I talked to-" Blank started, bashfully scratching the back of his neck._

_"Don't you dare say what I think you're going to say." Ethan kept himself composed, despite the fact that his stomach was doing an entire gymnastics routine and his mind was racing._

_"I'm sorry. I wanted to help but I think I just made things worse..." Blank lifted up his shirt slightly to reveal a white bandage wrapped around his chest. "I didn't mean..." Then the dreaded black tears dripped down his face._

_Ethan shook his head, hugging the demon. "I know."_

_Both looked up when they heard another deep voice boom, "Is he crying? How pathetic." Even though Blank's eyes were black, anyone would have been able to see the utter terror in them. If they couldn't, his fear was apparent in his shaking figure and the way he slowly backed up."How's the wound?"_

_"You're insane. You could have killed him!" Ethan yelled, filled with more fury than terror. His hands were clenched into fists but he was well aware he was no match for Dark. Dark could squish him like an ant._

_"I'm not that stupid. It was barely deep enough to make a mark. Blank's just weak and pathetic."_

_"Why are you here anyways? We're not scared of you." Dark's eyes trailed to Blank who was quivering whilst still crying black tears, and let out a loud laugh._

_"He sure is. But yes, I did come here for a reason. You two better stay away from Anti. If you hurt him, you'll have to deal with me."_

_"So you didn't give a shit about when you hurt Blank but now Anti's your world?"_

_"Blank was nothing to me. He never was... he was just a bit of fun."_

_"That's so horrible... Just leave us alone and we'll leave you alone."_

_"But Ethan... that's no fun..."_

_"We can make a deal. We won't hurt you or your precious boyfriend if you don't hurt us... or Jack. That goes for Anti too." Ethan held out his hand, as if he expected Dark to accept the deal. Unsurprisingly, he didn't._

_"Right. You and Blank can't do anything to me and Anti. We're powerful."_

_"Then... how about you stop hurting Jack and hurt me instead. I'll take his place."_

_Dark looked sceptical for a moment, eyes tracing the room around him as he contemplated the offer. "I'll talk to Anti."_


	4. Chapter 4

Ethan sat up, glancing around his room with wide eyes. Sun was seeping through his curtains, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow. The bright light juxtaposed Ethan's erratic mind which was racing with thoughts and questions such as _what did he just sign himself up for?_

His phone lit up from where it was laying on his bedside table, indicating one of his friends had tweeted. He glanced at the time: _6am_. He had a couple of hours before Mark got up. Deciding against falling asleep again, he got up and changed into a random shirt and jeans. He slipped on the first pair of shoes he had access to before heading outside. Immediately regretting not wearing a jacket, he shivered in the cold, the wind nipping at his bare arms.

It had been a while since he had gone for a walk at such a bazaar time so he had forgotten how quiet and calm the world was when it was asleep. The sun hadn't long since risen so there was still a gentle pink tint in the sky. He walked for around a hour or so until his surroundings became less familiar. Ethan liked the feeling of being lost. He didn't panic, just letting out short breaths at the same frequency as usual. He shoved his hands into his pockets, deep in thought and, in that moment, he felt invisible. He observed the ambience, feeling like he was watching from much further away.

Leaves fluttered in the breeze, as if dancing to their own music. Someone was walking a dog, also appearing to be in their own little world. The dog was black and made a point of sniffing almost every blade of grass he came across. The animal and its owner eventually got closer. The dog ran to Ethan's feet, excitedly sniffing his shoes. The man bent down and stroked the fluff-ball's head, making a quiet "awww" noise in the process.

"I'm sorry. He usually doesn't like people much." They muttered, tugging the dog's lead in attempts to coax him away.

"It's alright. I love dogs! What's his name?" Ethan replied with a friendly smile. The dog had obviously taken a liking to him as it plopped down on the pavement by Ethan, his tongue hanging out as it panted.

"Barney. He used to have a brother too but he passed away at the end of last year. Why am I telling you this?" There was a trace of humour in the question at the end, a sign they had long since passed the stages of grief.

"He's adorable. I'm really sorry for your loss. What breed is he?"

"Barney's a shih-tzu poodle cross and, Alfie, his brother, was a schnauzer."

"Cute. I should probably let you go. I'm Ethan by the way."

"Oh, I know ...in the least creepy way possible. I love your YouTube channel. I'm Hayden." 

A grin broke out on Ethan's face. The person was also smiling and their face was practically glowing. They looked partially like they were going to vomit but they were practically jumping up and down on their feet. Their excitement was adorable so Ethan wondered how he hadn't noticed it sooner. Then he realised he had been too enveloped in petting the dog.

"Can I take a photo? Only quickly because I have college soon."

"Sure." Hayden pulled out their phone and held it out, snapping a quick picture.

"Thank you so much! Have a nice day!" They tugged the dog away and Ethan waved at them both.

"You too!"

Ethan quickly found the route back to his apartment, managing to make it before Mark or Jack even woke up.

When Mark did eventually stumble into the kitchen, Ethan was making a cup of coffee as if he had only just woken up. "Morning." Mark greeted, his voice groggy.

"Good morning. Coffee?"

-

"Jack, oh my- how'd you get that? It looks painful!" Mark asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the large purple ring around Jack's eye. Ethan, from across the room, noted that Jack was wearing a very baggy hoodie and was fiddling with the sleeves even more than usual. The bruise was quite faded so the fact that Jack had attempted to cover it up was clear.

"I fell out of bed and ended up hitting my eye. I'm surprised you didn't hear me." Jack expertly replied. It was like he had planned the excuse and had it ready, just waiting for Mark to ask.

"Ethan, looks like you've got competition," Ethan looked up, sending his friend a puzzled expression. "For my clumsiest friend!"

-

"Jack, did Anti-" Ethan asked but he was cut off by Jack's loud huff.

"Of course it was Anti. Who else would it have been? It's fine, just... just leave me alone." Jack grumbled, turning around so quickly that he managed to hit his arm on the edge of the table. His face instantaneously scrunched up in pain and he cried out a loud profanity. If Mark hadn't gone to the shop to get some milk, he would have heard it from his office which was the other side of the apartment.

"Jack-"

"Leave me alone. I'm fine!" Jack held his arm against his chest, tears burning his eyes.

"You're not. Did you..." Ethan cut himself off that time, deciding the answer was obvious in the amount of the stress the other was displaying. "Come here." He gently intertwined their hands and guided Jack into the bathroom. Jack had finally given up on refusing Ethan's help.

Silence lapsed over the pair as Ethan reached up into one of the cabinets. "Take off your hoodie."

"Eth-"

"You need to. I won't judge: I've been through this, remember?"

Nodding, he reluctantly tugged off the jumper. Ethan's breath hitched but he proceeded to pull out a wrap of bandages. He cut an appropriate length off before turning back to Jack who was beginning to tremble as tears dripped down his pale face.

He grabbed a wad of tissue and commanded Jack press it into the wounds. He complied but not without releasing a sharp hiss. Red covered the tissues. After a few moments, Ethan wrapped Jack's arm up.

"Thank you." Jack mumbled. He kept his voice quiet to decrease the likelihood of Ethan hearing.

"You don't need to thank me, you know?"

"I do. I'm so stubborn all the time and all you've wanted to do was help. And- And that time I called for Anti... I'm so sorry, Eth. For everything." Jack started to sob so Ethan wrapped a protective arm around him to offer his support.

"You don't need to apologise. I've been through this; I know how hard it is." The only sound was Jack's gentle cries until Ethan murmured, "Will you tell Mark?" Jack's eyes filled with fear and his expression made what he wanted to say apparent. "I think you should. He helped me so I know he won't judge."

"I know... I'm just scared."

Jack stiffened as a deep voice in his head muttered, " _You should be_."

"Me too, Jack. Me too..."


	5. Chapter 5

"Please don't freak out," Jack said, obviously trying to delay telling Mark as much as possible. Ethan was right beside him, offering physical comfort with an arm wrapped around his shoulder. "Ethan told me about Dark and Blank... I know what they did and..." Jack glanced at Ethan to show his fear and reluctance; Ethan's response was to smile encouragingly. "I have my own demon. His name is Anti."

Mark gasped, his eyes wide as he attempted to comprehend what Jack had just told him. "...Are you serious?"

Jack nodded, hanging his head so his fringe shielded his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? We need to do something about this..." Mark looked at Ethan. "Can you get Blank to talk to him?"

"Don't worry, I'll sort it out." Ethan smiled softly but inside his stomach was churning.

-

_"You can tell us to stop at any time and we'll go back to Jack." Anti spat. Ethan wiped the saliva that had hit his cheek away with his hand, glaring at the green-haired demon._

_"I don't want you to go back to Jack. I can take this." Ethan spoke, his voice laced with fake confidence. He was then pushed into the wall, Anti's knife against his neck. The sharp edge dug into his skin, tearing it apart as red formed in the wound. Ethan's breath hitched but he refused to admit weakness._

_"You sure? You're shaking." Anti cackled, sounding like a hyena. Ethan felt small as Anti circled him like he was his prey. He licked his lips, hungry but not for food, for pain... for blood._

_"I'm certain."_

_"This is going to be fun then," Anti traced Ethan's cheekbone with the blade of his knife but not enough to cut into the skin. "Let's see just how much you can take."_

_"Will you kill me?"_

_"Do you think I'm that stupid? I saved your life once and I wouldn't take it away in a second."_

_"What?" Ethan's eyes widened so Anti froze, backing up a little as his mouth formed an evil smirk._

_"Don't you remember?" Ethan raised his eyebrows to encourage the demon to continue. "Dark was going to kill you but I stopped him. I saved your life so I'd say you owed me."_

_Ethan blinked, looking down at the ground. His mouth opened then closed as he was unable to respond. How could he forget Anti saved his life? Surely there couldn't be any good in him... right? Suddenly, Anti shoved Ethan backwards and he let out a high pitched yelp._

-

Ethan was aching all over as he opened his eyes. He winced, sitting up very stiffly. His arms were bloody and he was certain his body was a mixture of black and blue. Anti had not taken any mercy in him. He made his way to the bathroom and sighed as he went back to his old routine: very painful shower, makeup and, finally, pretend to be okay.

-

Jack was back to his bubbly old self. "Guess what!" He practically yelled at breakfast. Ethan had been nice enough to cook everyone some pancakes so they were all sat around the table.

"What?" Mark asked, eating a bit of his food and smiling at the taste.

"Anti didn't do anything last night. I didn't even dream." Jack proudly grinned, making Ethan smile gently. He continued to wince at almost every movement but he was ecstatic that Jack had been okay.

"That's great! What did you do, Eth? Get Blank to talk to him?"

"Something like that..."

-

Ethan muttered a profanity as his hand clasped his nose. He ran to the bathroom with a good attempt of not getting any blood on his covers. He grabbed a wad of tissues, pressing them into his bloody nose. Any naive person would have rushed him to the hospital with an intense fear it could be broken but Ethan knew better. He had had more than his fair share of nose bleeds, especially since he was cursed with demons who were determined to make his life hell. Blank was not a curse but still a slight hindrance as he had been the bait to lure the others in.

"You need to tell them..." Blank muttered, appearing sat cross-legged on the closed toilet seat. Ethan barely flinched at his sudden appearance as he had grown used to the 'surprises' (for lack of a better word) since Blank had come into his life. "You're hurting and I'm worried you're going to do something careless- not that signing yourself up for a lifetime of pain wasn't careless but you know what I mean."

"I won't kill us. I just... need to do this for Jack."

"You don't. I'm sure we could figure out an alternative solution that's slightly better for your wellbeing."

Ethan shook his head, getting rid of the tissue that had turned a deep red colour. "What's the point in trying? Dark and Anti are so much stronger than us. They could kill us in a fight within thirty seconds." His voice had become empty and devoid of all emotion, reflecting how his hope was quickly deteriorating.

"The point is... you're dying. Obviously not physically but emotionally. You've lost your energy and hyperactivity and it won't be long before people notice. Mark and Jack will catch on eventually and they'll want you to do something. What if your- what are they called?- subscribers find out? You try to promote the message that you should never give up yet that is exactly what you have done. Don't let them down."

Ethan sighed, picking at a loose thread on his pyjama bottoms. "Okay. Any ideas?" He sounded almost sardonic, like he was testing Blank. The demon, his eyes still fixed on his human self, shook his head.

"I've got nothing."

"Well... thanks for the inspirational speech and all but there's no use trying if we have nowhere to start."

"I'll think of something." Blank then faded into a cloud of black smoke, leaving Ethan alone with his thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

_"Just how powerful are you?" Ethan questioned that night. Anti grinned, filled with pride as he fiddled with his signature weapon._

_"I'm one of the most powerful of my kind. There's only one power I haven't quite got yet but I am so close, thanks to you." Anti's hands ghosted over Ethan's pale cheek. The younger of the pair swallowed thickly in an attempt to maintain his composure._

_"What's that?"_

_"I cannot haunt someone from very far. The proximity between me and my victim must be within a few miles or so but that distance grows every night. I can go into their dreams and speak to them but nothing I can do at this point is physical."_

_"Wait," Ethan's face had it up like the sun as a solution was standing right in front of him, practically screaming to make itself more known. "So what will you do when Jack goes home?"_

_"Jack will go back to being the victim. Can you shut up now so we can get on with-"_

_"That wasn't part of the deal!" Anti huffed and rolled his eyes, already fed up._

_"I won't have access to you so what else can I do?"_

_"Not hurt Jack! That wasn't what we decided!"_

_"Oh, Ethan..." Anti's sick grin had returned to his face and he was slowly raising his knife. "What made you think you could trust me and Dark? We're demons: us breaking a pathetic deal with a human should have been expected." He cackled, his head twitching to the side._

_Jack left in two weeks. Ethan had to do something before then to save his friend from Anti. But he didn't know what to do. Helpless tears rolled down his face as Anti's evil laughs echoed around him, making him feel dizzy and defenceless._

-

Three days passed in the blink of an eye and Ethan was panicking; that was an understatement. He was pacing up and down his room at almost four in the morning, his hands tangled in his hair. He wasn't wearing a jumper because it was boiling hot and the entire house was fast asleep. His arms were covered in scars, both new and old. Blank was sat on his bed with his legs crossed, his head following Ethan's movements.

"What the fuck am I meant to do?" He muttered, more talking to himself than Blank. "Jack goes home in less than two weeks and if I don't act now, he'll be in so much trouble. I don't want him to be tortured!"

"We can figure this out. Just... calm down and think logically. There must be something we can do." Blank murmured with a long sigh. Ethan turned to him with tears in his eyes, ready to fall at any moment. Blank was trying his best to stay composed but, in reality, his empty eyes were filling with the colour black too.

A knock made both of them jerk their heads around to the door. Ethan froze, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't walk in. "Ethan?" A small voice called. It was undoubtedly Mark.

"Yeah?" Ethan squeaked out, quickly grabbing a jacket that was laying on the end of his bed. Despite the heat, he pulled it over his shoulders to cover up his scars.

"Why are you up?" Mark slowly pushed open the door and immediately frowned when he saw Blank sitting on his bed. Blank timidly waved. "Is he giving you trouble again?"

"No, no, no!" Ethan responded before Mark had a chance to get angry. "We're just talking."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah?"

"You sure?" Ethan's eyes widened as he remembered that he had been crying. Tears remained idle on his cheek and his eyes were probably rimmed red.

"I'm sorry. Just stressed about... editing." _When had he become so good at conjuring up excuses?_

"You shouldn't stress out about that. People would understand if you skipped a few days' uploads to catch up."

Shrugging, Ethan sat down on his bed. Blank had gone but neither of the pair remembered seeing him leave. Mark took a seat beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders for comfort.

"Come on, cheer up a little. Being behind isn't that bad..." He dragged out the 'a' in 'bad' in attempts to lighten the mood but it remained as heavy as ever. "Staying up late definitely won't help. I can chip in with the workload if you need."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"If you're sure... just, next time, talk to me when you feel overwhelmed, okay? We can sort something out." Ethan nodded but his top lip was wobbling.

" _Please don't cry._ " He repeated over and over again in his mind. He felt extremely guilty that he was lying to his friend and he really didn't want to burden him with tears as well.

...too late.

Ethan pushed Mark away as tears rolled down his cheeks. He was tempted to bury his head into his pillow and scream, just to let out all of the emotions that were cooped up inside of him. Everything was just too much for the poor man.

"Hey, hey..." Mark whispered, keeping his voice soft like he was talking to a child that had just grazed their knee. He leaned forward and wiped away Ethan's tears with a small, sad smile on his face. "There's no need to cry. Tomorrow, I will help you with editing, okay? It just so happens that I'm ahead so I'll have plenty of time to help." His eyebrows furrowed when his words did nothing to calm down his friend. "Unless... is there something else bothering you?"

" _I think it's time, Ethan._ " Blank mumbled in the back of his mind. Ethan rapidly shook his head, rubbing his eyes with his fists and trying his best to stop himself from shedding any more tears. " _Please... You need to tell him. He might know what we can do._ "

"I don't want to." Ethan murmured to the voice in his head. Mark watched with narrow eyes, trying to figure out what was going on.

" _You need to... either you tell him or I will._ "

"You wouldn't."

" _Try me._ " Sure enough, a black mist appeared in the room and then Blank showed up. His cheeks were stained a black colour as he had cried almost as much as Ethan had. Mark jumped at the sudden arrival but Ethan seemed pretty much unaffected. "Mark, Ethan has something to tell you."

Nodding, Mark wrapped his arms around the sobbing figure. He was trying to tell the man it was okay without the use of any actual words.

"The reason Anti and Dark started to leave Jack alone is because they went back to torturing Ethan."

"Ethan, why would you do that? And keep it to yourself? I could have almost lost you again but I bet you didn't think about that."

"Because I love you and Jack and I wanted to keep you safe." Ethan whispered, his voice trembling. Mark's arms disappeared from where they had been around him.

"...And we need your help because, when Jack goes back to Ireland, Anti and Dark will go back to torturing him."

"Can they just go five minutes without hurting someone?"

"You know the answer to that question. Anyways, I think you two should head back to bed. We have a lot of thinking to do."


	7. Chapter 7

_"Is there anything I can do? I literally mean anything. I want to protect Jack at all costs." Ethan was practically begging at that point, desperate to save his friend. He was willing to- very literally- go through hell for his friends. Anti groaned at the mention of his 'pathetic' human, digging the knife deeper into Ethan's arm. He cried out as the blood dripped to the floor, creating a small puddle on the ground. All the demon wanted to do was hurt Ethan, not have a long, meaningful conversation about helping someone. Demons were not meant to help. They were meant to hurt._

_"There is one thing. If I tell you will you shut up?"_

_"Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Please."_

_"Okay. The only thing you can do to stop us from hurting your precious friend is to give us your soul..."_

_Ethan definitely had not expected that. He tensed up, not believing his ears._

_"For our lifetime. If you do that, you 'die' in the human world and gain a form in the demon world. You don't become a demon, just a human in the demon world that me and Dark will own until we both die."_

_"What happens to Blank if I do that?"_

_"I don't know, okay? It's only really a legend thing and no one knows if it works so... just stop asking about it." Anti seemed slightly irritated by Ethan's constant curiosity so Ethan didn't push it any harder. He just sighed as disappointment flooded him and replaced the tiny bit of hope that had formed._

_Anti slashed the knife over Ethan's arm again, making the younger gasp loudly. He was crying hot tears that were mixing with the red and falling to the floor. He was in excruciating pain- both mentally and physically so what could he lose by asking one more question?_

_"Anti," He choked out. Anti's response was not what you'd expect of any human; it was to press the knife into Ethan's throat. "How do I give you my soul?"_

_"You're still going on about that?"_

_"Yes, I am. Answer my question..."_

_"Why should I? You're just an annoying-"_

_"Anti, please. If I give you my soul, it will benefit both of us..." He let out a gasp as the knife was pushed harder into his skin. "I mean, you'll get someone to torture you and- and- and I can save my friend."_

_"I know. Sounds good to me, honestly."_

_"So... tell me? What do I do?"_

_Anti's knife then fell to the floor, making a loud clang as it did so. He backed up a little, his arms going limp against his side and his fringe falling over his eyes as he stared at the ground. He twitched. "I don't know, okay? I have no idea. It's just some legend we talk about in the demon world and who's to say there's any truth to it? It's probably all fiction."_

_"Oh."_

_"Yeah. I'm sorry. I can't help you here. Now quit with the questions so we can back to what we were doing."_

_Ethan stiffened but let Anti hurt him without mercy. He slashed at the younger's bare arms and grinned when blood dripped to the floor. He even went as far as to lick his lips with a hungry look in his eyes. Tears slipped out of Ethan's eyes that were scrunched shut because he was in so much pain and he couldn't do anything about it. He was doing it for Jack._

"If he survived the pain, Jack wouldn't have to." _He kept repeating over and over in his head. He knew what he was doing was going to benefit his friend so he didn't even scream as Anti's slashes got much quicker and harder._


	8. Chapter 8

Ethan had just explained everything Anti had told him about the 'legend' to Blank. Blank was sat on their kitchen table, swinging his legs as he contemplated it. "What will happen to me if you do that?" Blank asked.

"Anti didn't know. He didn't know how I'm supposed to sacrifice my soul either. Being a demon, I expected you to know about it but I can tell you know as much as I do."

Blank nodded with a long exhale. "So... we're still just as stuck as we were before?"

"Yep but we've got more stuff to work-" Blank cut himself off as he black eyes grew wide. Ethan followed his gaze to find Anti standing there, albeit slightly faded. His usual sick smile was nonexistent and his body was twitching more than usual. It looked like he had been crying but neither Blank nor Ethan pointed it out in fear the demon would flip out at them.

"I want to help you..." Anti mumbled, hanging his head and refusing to meet their gazes. His green hair had fallen over his eyes and, when you couldn't see his oddly coloured eyes, it was impossible to tell that it was him and not their best friend from a year or so ago.

"I'm sorry but I seem to recall you telling me not to trust you." Ethan was quick to reply. Anti sighed, lifting himself up so he could sit on the counter. He was hunched over and shaking, despite the room being reasonably hot.

"Forget that. Trust me now."

"Why the sudden change in attitude?"

"None of your business."

"I disagree."

"I am not going to tell you. It's private." Blank rolled his eyes, seeing Anti as a threat to his human. He zoomed forward and quickly grabbed a kitchen knife to hold up against Anti's neck.

"Tell us or we have no reason to side with you." Blank's voice was angry and shallow. The last time Ethan had heard that tone, Blank had been holding a knife up against his throat. He shuddered at the thought.

"Okay, fine. Dark and I..." Anti covered his hand with his mouth to muffle his words but Blank was not impressed. He pressed the knife harder into the skin of the demon's neck, eliciting a loud yelp from him. "Broke up, okay? Are you happy now?" Tears streamed down Anti's pale cheeks so Blank withdrew the knife out of pity.

"Yes," Blank dropped the knife onto the counter and let his arms fall limp at his sides. "Now, why would helping us... benefit you?"

"Because maybe Dark will forgive me if I give him a human's soul."

"What did you do?" Ethan questioned out of curiosity but the only response he got was a glare from Blank.

"Why would you want him back though?" Blank's voice remained calm and soft due to his fear of angering Anti or even upsetting it further. Just in case, he prepared himself to have to react quickly and grab the knife.

"I love him."

"But he's... sick and... manipulative."

"He's different with me. He's actually loving." Blank frowned, slowly looking at Ethan whose face had morphed into a similar expression.

"That's what he made me think. If he's hurting you in any way-"

"He isn't! He loves me!" _The tears streaming down his face made it appear otherwise._ "I mean it. We're in love."

"Anti-"

"Stop! Just shut up! I didn't want to do this but you won't stop bothering me!" Anti grabbed the knife Blank had discarded before either Blank or Ethan could react. He held it out with trembling hands, in a way that made him appear frightened rather than threatening. At that moment, Jack and Mark walked in the door. Jack looked utterly petrified as he had been left in the dark about Anti still existing.

Dropping the bags he was holding, Mark raced forward and yelled, "Get away from them!"

"Leave me alone!" Anti screamed, thrashing the knife around and not caring who it hit. Since Mark had run forward, he was the direct target and the knife slashed the skin of his arm. It wasn't too deep but, despite this, his jacket tore and blood immediately seeped out of the wound. "He loves me... He loves me..." Anti stopped waving the knife around and instead held it right up to his own neck. He was crying so much that he could barely even see what he was doing.

"No!" Blank yelled, diving forward and snatching the knife from the demon.

"Let me die." Anti no longer sounded furious, just desperate so Blank hugged him tightly. He hushed his cries and rubbed his back until he ceased to shake and his sobs had died down. Jack was watching the pair, waiting for Anti to cackle and claim the entire thing was one big joke to make the group vulnerable but he continued to break down. Jack was frozen in fear, as stiff as a statue. That side of Anti had been hidden from him the whole time and he couldn't help but wonder how much the demon had intended on hurting him. _Were they equally as weak as each other?_ Ethan and Mark had stopped paying attention to Anti as they no longer saw him as a threat. They were standing at the sink as Ethan dabbed at the cut on Mark's arm.

"I felt the same way..." Blank whispered.

"You-You don't understand. We're different. He never liked you. He-He showed me a vulnerable side too. I saw emotions no one else did. We weren't like you- you and him."

"No, you're not different. Dark is manipulative and all he does is hurt people. I promise you'll be okay without him."

"But-But I have no one. No one will love me if- if he doesn't."

"That is not true. I felt like that when he left me but I swear humans are a lot nicer. They won't ever hurt you." Anti glanced at Ethan who was soothing Mark and Jack who had a tiny smile on his face as he watched them.

"I don't belong here. I hurt you."

"I know. I hurt them too but they managed to forgive me."

"Why should they forgive me? I'm a- a monster." Anti's gaze dropped to the knife that was laying on the floor, a little bit of Mark's blood smothered on the tip. His heart dropped at the sight as he realised just how much pain he had caused them.

"I was too. They can help." Blank met the other demon's gentle eyes. Anti could see the sympathy amidst the blackness so he ended up smiling very gently and nodding.

"Okay. I-I can survive without him." He sounded unsure so Blank put an arm on his shoulder.

"That's the spirit!" Blank then offered Anti a human thing he had learned about, tea. Anti furrowed his eyebrows because he had never heard of it before but accepted it anyway.

-

Anti stared into the dark coloured drink with wide, naive eyes. He looked like a very young child, exploring the world for the very first time with an intense curiosity. "You drink it." Blank explained, demonstrating. **(HAHA GET IT _DEMON_ STRATING??? I will let myself out :P)** Anti did the same and grinned at the taste.

"Do you have an S too?" Anti innocently questioned.

"A what?"

"An S. Like tea?"

Blank blinked slowly as he thought about it before turning to the actual humans for answers.

All Ethan, Mark and Jack did was laugh at that. Despite being angry and dangerously violent, demons were kind of cute. In a naive way.

-

"I don't want you to go." Mark mumbled with tears in his eyes. He had his head buried into Jack's shoulder as he refused to back out of the hug. Jack gently pushed him away with an equal amount of tears in his blue eyes.

"I don't want to go either, you know... but I have to. The plane leaves in," Jack glanced down at his watch and loudly swore. "Like ten minutes! I have to go. I'll miss you."

"Time still doesn't make sense to me." Anti mumbled, making the humans giggle. Jack then grabbed Anti's arm and pulled him away so that they wouldn't miss their flight.

"Bye!" The entire group yelled, waving until Jack and Anti disappeared into the distance.


End file.
